Coin-controlled height-indicating machine.



C. A.- STEVENS. GOIN CONTROLLED HEIGHT INDIGATING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 10l 1912.

Patented Apr. 28, 1914 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WVM/woon c. A. STEVENS. A(JUIN GONTROLLBD HEIGHT INDIGATING MAGHINR APrLIoATIo FILED snrm. 1o, 1912.-

' 2 sumssnm 2.

Patnted Apr.- 28,

'lnarlasJten/aas, 3511 m4 UNiTED sTATEs PATENT orrioii.

CHARLES A. STEVENS, or Noa'msToWN, k,PEN ivsYLvAriLn k t COIN-CONTISIOLLED HEIGHT-INDICATING MACHINE.

readme.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 28,1914.

Application filed September 10, 1912. Serial No. 719,679.

height indicating machines, the object in view being to provide a machine of the class described, embodying a graduated cylinder, the graduations of which are normally concealed,an indicator being adapted to travel across the graduated face of the cylinder, and in connection therewith to display the correct measurement of the person operating the machine, together with a sing e operating element, by means of which the cylinder is turned, so as to display the graduated face thereof, and the indicator simultaneously moved across the faceof the cylinder, the machine as a whole being normally locked but capable of operation only when a coin is inserted therein.

With the above Iand other objects in view,

' the invention consists in the construction,

combination and arrangement of parts, as

will be vhereinafter more fully described,

illustrated 'inthe accompanying drawings, and pointed yout in the claims hereunto ap.- pended.

` In the drawings: Figure l is a front elevation of a machine, embodying the present invention. Fi 2 is a vertical cross section of the same, ta ren on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1'. Fig. t is a rear elevation of the machine with the back wall' removed. Fig. 5 is a vertical section rillustrative of the several steps of the follower and coin mechanism. Fig. 6 is a detail vertical section taken centrally of the upper forward portion of the machine, showing the folding contact' arm and the operating means therefor.,

The height indicating machine contemplated in this invention comprises a suitable stand 1 in the form of a box-like casing, in -which lthe operative parts of the mechanism are mounted, 2 designating the ii'oor or surface upon which the operator stands, preparatory to manipulating the machine toascertain his height.

The front of the stand is provided with an observation Vopening 3, directly behind which is arranged a vertical cylinder 1 which is, therefore, adapted to be displayed through the opening 3. This cylinder is journaled on a vertical axis, by means of bearings 5 and` 6 at the top and bottom thereof, said bearings being' supported by horizontal cross bars 7 and 8, respectively, said cross bars being rigidly attached to the stand and concealed-within the same.

.The cylinder is provided with graduations, dicating the height of the operator, the cylinder being normally held in the position illustrated in Figs. land 2, so that the graduations are concealed, while any suit-able printed matter may be represented on the exposed portion of the cylinder, as indi-- cated in Fig. 1, in which a panel 10 is shown adapted to contain certain directions for manipulating the machine. y

The front wall of the stand is provided with a vertical slot 11 at one side, extending parallel to 'the observation opening 3, as

shown in Fig. l, and mounted to move longitudinally of the slot 11 is a Slide 12 having secured to the forward face thereof a face plate 13 provided with an operating knob 14, by means of which the slide 12 may be Ymoved up and down in the slot 11.

Extending from the upper portion of the slide 12 toward the center of the machine is an indicator carrying arm 15, to which an indicator 16 is attached, the same being in the form of a plate, as shown, lthe bottom edge of which is adapted to register with the proper raduation of the cylinder for indicating t e exact height of the operator.

Pivotally mounted on the indicator is a contact arm 17 which, in the operation of the machine, is moved downwardly until it rests upon' the head of the operator. This arm 17 is provided with ayT-shaped base 18 journaled in suitable eyes or bearings 19 on theindicator plate 16, while the end portions ofthe base 18 are bent at right angles to form lingers 20 adapted'to come into contact with fixed projections 21, shown by preference as extending forward from the vupper cross bar 7 hereinabove referred to,

the object in view being to cause the contact .arm 17 to fold upward, as the slide indicator-16 movesy inthe corresponding direction, thereby. moving the contact arm from the as shown at 9, for thepurpose of in-d vnon-indicating position.

horizontal position, shownin Fig. 6, to the vertical or folded position, illustrated in Figs.1 and 2. u

Referring now to Fig. 4, 22 designates a lever pivoted to a fixed point, as shown at 23, and arranged in the path of the downwardly moving slide 12. Connected to the free end of the lever 23 is a oord or flexible element 24 which passes over a guide pulley 25, near the top o-f the machine, and thence downwardly around another guide pulley 26 and across to the cylinder, to which it is connected, as shown at 27, the connection being illustrated in the form of a pin projecting -from the face of the cylinder, to which the cord 24 is attached.

After fastening 'the cord to the cylinder, it is extended over another pulley 28, and thence downward, where it is attached to a Weight 29 which serves to restore the c vlinder to its normal It will `noW be observed thatwhen the slide 12 is depressed, it comes into cont-act with the lever 22, and

operates the cord 24, causing the latter to gire ai partial rotative increment to the cylinder 4, so as t0 bring the graduated face thereof `into view through the observation opening l A slide controlling weight 30 is arranged in a suitable box 31 within the stand, and is connected by a cord 32 to the slide 12, said vcord passing over guide pulleys 33 near the top of the machine. After the measurement is obtained and the knob 14 `is released, the weight 30 serves to return the slide to its initial position.

The coin-controlled part of the lnechanism embodies a coin chute 34 extending vertically. within the stand and provided in4 the rear face thereof with a slot 35 adapted to'receive an L-shapcd arm 36 extending from and rigidly connect-ed to the slide 12 and movable therewith in a vertical direction. Secured rigidly to the arm 36 is a coin follower 37, the bottom edge or face of which is concaved, as shown at 3S, to lit a coin of the proper denomination, such coin being shown at 39. Near the top of the coin chute 34 and within the same are oppositelv arranged curved spring lingers 40, the ccnvex surfaces of which are disposed toward each other, as best illustrated in Fig. 5, and the upper extremities of which are arranged at a. less distance apart than the width of the follower 37, so that it is impossible to force the yfollower 37 down into the coin chute, as it will come into contact with the spring lingers 40, the latter forming a positive stop therefor. When, however, a. coin is inserted "through a coin slot 41 in the front of the stand. as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said coin .will lodge upon the upper extremities of the spring fingers 40 and then, when the follower 37 is depressed by operating the slide 12, the coin will Wedge in between and spread apart the spring lingers 40, thereby allowing the follower 37 to force its way also/ between the iin gers 40, which will permit the slide 12 to be moved downward by depressing the knob 14. As soon as the coin 39 passes below the spring lingers 40, it is relcasedand falls by gravity into a coin rcceptacle 42 .within the stand.

In operation, the person 'desiring to ascertain his correct height stands upon the floor or platform 2. He then places a coin in the slot 41 and grasps the knob 14 and moves the latter downward. In this movement, the slide 12 is forced downward and by means of the cord 24 the cylinder 4 is partially t-urned on its vertical axis, so as to display the graduated face thereof. Simultaneously therewith, the indicator 1G is moved downward across the `graduated face of the cylinder, and the contact', arm 17' drops from its vertical folded position to its ope ative horizontal position. 'ldlc-downward movement of the knob14 is continued until the contact arm 17 rests upon the head ofthe operator, who, by then looking at the bottom (.dge of t-he indicator 1 6, may read his indicated height on the graduated surface of the cylinder. Upon releasing the knob 14, the parts are returned to their initial positions by means ot the co1mterbalaneing weightl 2t) and 30, and at the same time the follower passes above the spring fingers 40, thus locking the machine until another coin is inserted therein.

What is claimed is:

1. A coin-controlled height indicating machine, comprising a stand having an observation opening, a cylinder provided with a graduated scale and mounted to turn on a wei-tical axis on said stand and so related to the stand as to show the graduated scale through said observation opening when turned in one direction and conceal the scale when turned in the opposite direction, an indicator movable .lengthwise of said cylinder, a contact arm carried by said indicator, and means for turning the cylin er, and also moving said indica-tor and con act arm.

2. A coin-controlled height indicating machine, eomprising a stand, a graduated cylinder mounted to turn on a vertical axis on said stand. an indicator movable lengthwise of said cylinder, a contact arm movable with the indicator, and means for turning the cylinder and also moving said indicator. c

3. A coin-controlled height indicating machine, comprising a stand, a. graduated cylinder mounted to turn on a vertical axis on said stand, an indicator movable lengthwise of said cylinder, a contact arm pivotally connected to and movable with the indieater, and means for turning the cylinder and also moving said indicator.

4. A coin-controlled height indicating machine, comprising a stand, a graduated cyliiider mounted to turn on a lvertical axis on said stand, an indicator movable lengthwise of said cylinder, a contact arm carried by said indicator, and a manually operated slide t'oi' turning the cylinder and moving said indicator. y

` 5. A coin-controlled height indicatingmachine, comprising a stand, a graduated cylinder mounted to turn on a vertical axison said stand, an indicator movable lengthwise of said cylinder, a contact arm carried by said indicator, manually operated means for turning the cylinder and also moving said indicator, and in fans for automatically restoring the cylinder and indicator to their initial positions. A

6. A coiii-controlled height indicating machine, comprising a. stand, a graduated cylindei' mounted to turn on a vert-ical axis on said stand, an indicator movable lengthwise of said cylinder, a contact arm carried by said indicator, manuallyope'rated means for turning the cylinder and also moving said indicator along the graduated surface of the cylinder, and overbalancing means for restoring said cylinder and indicator to their initial positions.- p

7. A coin-controlled height indicating machine, comprising a stand, a graduated cyl- 1 iiider mounted to turn on a .vertical axis on said stand, an indicator movable lengthwise of said cylinder, a .contact arm carried by said indicator, and means for turning the cylinder and also moving said indicator, ein? bodying a slide, locking said slide.

8. A coin-controlled height indicating ma-v chine, comprising a stand,`a graduated cylinder mounted to turn on a vertical axis on said stand, an'iiidicator movable lengthwise of said cylinder, a Contact arm carried by said indicator,

and means for /releasably bodying a slide, an aim connecting the slide with the indicator, and a iiexible element connecting t-he slide with the cylinder.

y and means for turning the 1 cylinder and also moving said indicator, ein- 9. vA coin-controlled height indicating inaan indicator movable lengthwise of, said c ylinder, a Contact arm carried said indicator, and means for turningr'thecylinder1 and also niovinglsaid indicator. i In testimony whereof I ailiX my signatur in presence of two witnesses. I

CHARLES A. STEVENS.

l/Vitnesses HELEN G. DAIiEY, NORMAN d. SMITH. 

